Various imaging modalities are used to investigate, diagnose and treat people who may be suffering from various conditions and injuries. Photographs, X-ray, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Ultrasound, and other imaging modalities have various advantages, disadvantages, and application specific features. Generally, with respect to a given imaging modality it is desirable for a review of any resultant images to have a reference point relative to the subject depicted in an image. Various types of coordinate schemes and markers are used to facilitate identifying positions of interest in a given image. For photographs, a grease pencil may be sufficient to indicate an area of interest such as the location for a tissue biopsy.
In the context of MRI, a magnetic field is used in concert with changing radiofrequency pulses to change the behavior of atoms in the patient's body. Those changes are tracked and transformed using various algorithms to generate an image. These different radiofrequency pulses are known as MRI acquisition types. Known MRI acquisition types include a T1 sequence, a T2 sequence, a proton density sequence. Given the complexity associated with MRI, specifying reference points using markers is more challenging.
Traditionally, vitamin E capsules have been taped to patients to reference locations in patients undergoing MRI scans. These capsules show up to varying degrees in MRI scans as a result of their lipid make up. Improvements have been made to such capsules by having a given capsule centered or otherwise disposed upon a material having a border with an adhesive material on the back.
Fabricating individual capsules and disposing them within the border of a material or substrate can be expensive as is using a lipid-based material as the filling for such capsules. Moreover, traditional capsules do not function well in all MRI radiofrequency acquisition types. Accordingly, a need exists for improved MRI, X-ray, and multi-modal markers and related methods and devices that address these issues and others.